Stumptown Lacrosse: 2008

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Duck Men Fare Well in Las Vegas

Las Vegas, Nv. – The University of Oregon Men’s lacrosse team faced their first major test of the 2008-2009 season as they competed in Las Vegas’ annual Best of the West lacrosse classic. Throughout the tournament, the Ducks showed that they can compete with the best in the country while learning what aspects of their game they need to improve for the spring season.

The weekend started out strong for the University of Oregon, as they won both of their Friday games. The Ducks first trial came against Westminster College of Salt Lake City, Utah. Oregon showed little rust after their travel and came out strong against the Griffins. The Ducks controlled the game from the start to beat Westminster, a very good squad in their own right.

The second Friday game proved to be the highlight of the tournament for the Ducks as they took on bitter out of conference rival BYU. The Cougars played NCAA D1 schools UMBC and Denver earlier in the fall so the Ducks knew they would be a polished opponent. The game was a battle throughout the contest, with the University of Oregon fighting back from deficits and responding to seemingly every goal scored by BYU. The Cougars had a chance to score the winning goal with 45 seconds left in the fourth quarter but were thwarted by Nick Musgrove, a sophomore goalie transfer from the University of Arizona. The Ducks won the opening faceoff of overtime but a hard shot from Kevin Clark was stopped by the BYU goaltender. BYU had two chances to score on their following possession but the Ducks’ defense held strong and gave their offense one more shot. Will DeSiervo, a senior midfielder, finished the game with a running left-handed shot and the bench stormed the field to celebrate with their teammates. Although the Ducks admittedly did not play a perfect game and did not look quite as polished as their opponents, their grit and athleticism won out in the end and proved that this will be a team to be reckoned with in the near future.

The Ducks finished out the weekend with three games on Saturday, playing Arizona, UC Davis, and Arizona State, a final four team from the 2008 season. Oregon took care of business against Arizona early in the day, lead by Will DeSiervo’s first quarter hat trick and the play of senior middie Jon Matusiefsky as well as lockdown defense from Cole Magnuson and Austin Zilis. The following games however showed the Ducks that they still have much work to do in order to get to the championship-caliber team that they wish to be as they dropped a low scoring contest to UC Davis 3-1 and lost decisively to Arizona State to end a grueling three-game day.

Despite dropping their last two contests, the Ducks were very enthusiastic about their performance in Las Vegas. Coach Andrew Clough said, “The tournament was very good to get a feel for where we’re at as a team right now. We showed that we have the sheer athleticism and team chemistry to be a major contender this season and we also got to see what we need to work on most in order to be a championship level club.”

The Ducks will finish off their fall season with their annual alumni game on November 14^th and the Oregon Fall Classic on the weekend of November 21^st.

Written by Jimmy Vaughn

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Wimmer Solutions Wins Mudfest in Hawaii

Monday, October 27, 2008

Fall Ball Video - MLL All Stars v. Michigan

Reposted from Ranilsarmy.com

Monday, October 6, 2008

Paul Rabil - Inside Shooting

Paul Rabil Outside Shooting Drill

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

John Grant to miss 2009 season

from oursportscentral.com

(Rochester, NY)... Rochester Knighthawks General Manager Regy Thorpe announced today that forward John Grant will miss the 2009 National Lacrosse League season. Grant underwent emergency surgery Friday evening in Peterborough, Ontario, to remove an infection in the ACL in his left knee.

"We wish John all the best and pray he has a safe and speedy recovery," said Thorpe. "To say that we will miss him is surely an understatement. We fully expect him to be around as much as possible as he is very much still a part of this team. We're counting on the rest of the team to step up in his absence and play some solid lacrosse."

"It's very unfortunate, especially at my age, but I'm going to work as hard as I possibly can to get back into game shape and play for Rochester again," said Grant, 33. "I want to be there as much as I can throughout the season to support my teammates."

Grant underwent surgery Tuesday of last week on his elbow and knee to remove an infection that was beginning to migrate from his elbow to his knee. Grant went into surgery just two days later on his knee to remove more of the infection after an MRI discovered the first surgery failed to successfully remove it all.

After his second knee scope, Grant was forced into emergency surgery last Friday when doctors discovered the infection was getting worse as it started to attack his left ACL. As a result, the doctors in Peterborough had to remove his entire ACL and the screws, which attached the ligament to the bone.

Grant will be in a knee brace from four to 12 months, at which time he will enter another surgery to re-insert his ACL. The doctors will only operate on Grant once the infection is completely gone. In the meantime, Grant is being treated with various antibiotics to combat the infection.

Grant completed his ninth season with Rochester in 2008. He is the team's all-time leader in goals (394), assists (417) and points (811). Grant is among the Top 5 point producers in league history. The Peterborough native is also a five-time NLL First Team All-Pro (2000, 2000-01, 2005, 2006 and 2007), and a two-time Second Team member (2001-02 and 2002-03). In addition, he has been selected to play in the league's all-star game six times: 2001-02, 2003-04, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008. He was also the 2000 NLL Rookie of the Year.

In 2007, he won the NLL Champion's Cup and was named the Game MVP. He also earned league MVP honors and was a First Team All-Pro. The forward led the NLL with 51 goals and 111 points.

This summer, Grant earned his second straight Bud Light Major League Lacrosse MVP and Offensive Player of the Year awards as he led the Rochester Rattlers to their first ever league title in franchise history. He also led the MLL in scoring for a second straight campaign. In addition, he led the Peterborough Lakers to the Ontario Lacrosse Association major Series Finals.

The Knighthawks will open their 2009 National Lacrosse League schedule at Chicago on Saturday, December 27th. The Knighthawks will battle the East Division Shamrox at 8:00 p.m. Rochester will also host Chicago in their home opener on Saturday, January 10th at 8:05 p.m. at The Blue Cross Arena.

The Knighthawks enter their 15th season in the National Lacrosse League in 2009. Rochester won the 2007 Champion's Cup, which was the second title in the franchise's history. Rochester won its first championship in 1997.

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

JAX at Tualatin Hills Party in the Park

PORTLAND, July 14, 2008 - The Portland LumberJax are about to take their indoor lacrosse game outdoors for a giant party in the park. On Saturday, July 26th, Tualatin Hills Park and Recreation District (THPRD) will host its third annual Party in the Park from 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m. at its Howard M. Terpenning Recreation Complex on 158th and Walker Road in Beaverton. The Annual Party in the Park is THPRD's biggest community event of the year and is FREE to the public.

Jax goalie and Community Relations Director Dallas Eliuk and other members of the team will be on hand from 12-3 p.m. to hold lacrosse clinics, sign autographs, and mingle with fans. Clinics will last approximately 40-minutes and will involve an introduction to the game, light demonstration and plenty of time for interaction. At the conclusion of the clinic, there will be ample time for autograph seekers. Clinics will run from 12-12:40, 1-1:40 and 2-2:40.

Participants are encouraged to bring their own lacrosse sticks, but the Jax will also have sticks for participants to use.

"Lacrosse continues to be the fastest growing sports in the United State", said Eliuk. "It's always fun to interact with kids who bring such excitement to the game."

In addition to the Jax lacrosse clinic, Party in the Park features a full day of giant inflatables, arts and crafts, music and entertainment, sports and other clinics and demonstrations.

"Party in the Park has quickly become a major summertime event in the Beaverton area, one that people can really look forward to," said THPRD superintendent of Programs and Special Activities Lisa Novak. "With even more activities this year, we think it will get even bigger."

Formed in 1955, THPRD is the largest special park district in Oregon, spanning about 50 square miles and serving more than 200,000 residents in the greater Beaverton area. The district provides year-round recreational and educational opportunities for people of all ages.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

DUCKS NAME ANDREW CLOUGH & JOHN WRIGHT CO-HEAD COACHES

For Immediate Release
Thursday, June 12, 2008
www.oregonlacrosse.org

DUCKS NAME ANDREW CLOUGH & JOHN WRIGHT CO-HEAD COACHES

Eugene, Or. - Andrew Clough and John Wright have been named co-head coaches of the University of Oregon men's lacrosse team, it was announced today by team officials. After taking the reins as interim coaches for the remainder of the 2008 regular season and post-season, the duo interviewed with administrators and returning players and were offered the position shortly afterward. After getting a taste this spring of what to expect, the team is confident in the positive energy and knowledge of the game that Clough and Wright will bring to the table. There is no doubt that they are fully capable of maintaining and improving the quality of the program at large in the coming years.

Clough, a native of McLean, Virginia, was a former midfielder for the University of Oregon, and has served as an assistant for the team during the fall 2007 season. Clough was a starter for the Ducks for two full seasons and was among the team leaders in goals and assists until his senior season was cut short by a knee injury. All three of the seasons that Coach Clough was a member of the Ducks were capped by PNCLL championships and national tournament invitations.

"It was my good fortune to have outstanding teammates and great coaching during my career at Oregon, and I will do everything I can to keep things moving in a positive direction for the program," said Clough.

John Wright comes to the University of Oregon from a defensive coordinator position at Churchill High School in the Eugene area. He graduated from the U of O in 2006 with degrees in psychology and political science. In 2007, he helped Churchill to its first final four playoff appearance, and was an assistant to Oregon coach of the year Jack Stoddart. Prior to moving to Oregon, John was the founder and head coach of the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, where he led his team to a conference championship in its first year, 2002.

"I'm honored that my alma mater has taken note of my accomplishments after leaving the team as a player, and I am excited about the opportunity to help lead these men to glory," said Coach Wright of the opportunity to lead the Ducks in the coming years.

In addition to naming Clough and Wright to the head coaching positions, the Ducks announced that senior Jon Matusiefsky will be named head club coordinator for the 2008-2009 season, taking over for graduating senior Jeff Brunelle.

Monday, June 2, 2008

MLL PDX TEAM CLEANS UP IN MLL DRAFT

From Lumberjax release:
A sneak peek into the future of field lacrosse, as well as a preview of MLL PDX 2008 participant New Jersey Pride, was offered Wednesday, May 28th as the Pride acquired a total of 10 new players in the Major League Lacrosse (MLL) Collegiate Draft. With four of the first 10 picks, New Jersey began its restructure by selecting Duke All-American attackman Matt Danowski with the Second Overall Selection.

Danowski is the all-time leading scorer in NCAA history with 353 points. He scored 36 goals and added 48 assists this season for the Blue Devils as a fifth year senior.

Before the First Round was over, the Pride would also acquire Johns Hopkins midfielder Stephen Peyser, Maryland defenseman Joe Cinosky and Albany midfielder Jordan Levine.

Stephen will join his brothers, Greg and Michael, who also play for the Pride. Peyser led the NCAA with 113 ground balls collected in 2008 as he earned All-American honors. A 2008 All-American, Cinosky scored one goal, added one assist and collected 46 ground balls for the Terrapins in 2008. Levine was third in scoring for Albany with 13 goals and 20 assists as he also earned All-American accolades.

In the final three rounds, the Pride also acquired Duke All-American defenseman Tony McDevitt, Hofstra midfielder Kevin Unterstein, Syracuse midfielder Dan Brennan, Princeton All-American goalie Alex Hewit, Salisbury attackman Matthew Hickman and Navy All-American attackman Nick Mirabito.

The Pride and Philadelphia Barrage meet in their respective regular season finales on Saturday, August 9th at Hillsboro Stadium as part of MLL PDX. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased over the phone by calling (503)797-9739 or online at www.MLLPDX.com.

LUMBERJAX ASSISTANT COACHES?

We honestly hadn't heard anything about this and don't really know what's up here, but it seemed worth posting...

Posted on LACROSSE - Inside the Game: 31 May 2008 05:44 PM CDT

After reading on another web site about the “firing” of the two Assistant Coaches of the Champion’s Cup Finalist Portland Lumberjax, I thought something was not right. A team that just came within two goals of winning the Champions Cup firing Coaches?

So rather than assume the coaches were actually fired, and seeing as no source from the Lumberjax was quoted, I decided to do something novel, and ask someone within the oranization. I spoke with the Head Coach and General Manager Derek Keenan, who offered the following response:

“Jeff McComb and Jeremy Tallevi were not fired by the Portland Lumberjax organization or by me. Being fired usually means you are under contract and their contracts have expired. They are both outstanding coaches. They are extremely bright lacrosse minds and are diligent workers. If they were not top notch coaches I would not have kept them with me for 4 years. This was strictly a business decision by the organization. It was no longer financially viable to fly coaches in from Ontario and that is the only reason. I would go to war with those 2 guys any day of the week!”

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Inside Lacrosse TV: 2008 Season Review

Wednesday May 28th at 4:00 EST on ESPNU
________________________________________________

ESPNU will analyze this year's college lacrosse championships match-ups and review highlights of the season with a half-hour Inside Lacrosse TV special on Wednesday, May 28 at 4:00 p.m. EST. The half-hour special will be hosted in studio by ESPNU anchor Lowell Galindo, and feature reports from the NCAA Championships in Foxborough, Mass., with the ESPN team of Dave Ryan and Quint Kessenich. The show will provide a summary of the Memorial Day weekend action, including a breakdown of Syracuse's NCAA title game victory over Johns Hopkins. Dave and Quint will also review the 2008 season's top storylines as well as point to the top teams and players to watch in 2009.

Tune in or set your TiVo / DVR to catch it all on ESPNU Wednesday May 28, 4:00 pm EST
The show will be re-aired on ESPNU (ET): 5/28 - 10:30pm, 5/29 - 11:00am
* Dates/Times subject to change. Check listings for schedule changes and additional airings.

Monday, May 5, 2008

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Buffalo Bandits defeat Portland Lumberjax 14-10

The Buffalo Bandits defeated the Portland LumberJax Saturday night by a score of 14-10. The win now moves Buffalo to 10-6 on the season.

John Tavares led the Bandits in scoring with eight points (4+4). Brett Bucktooth and Roger Vyse each lit the lamp twice and posted two assists. Cory Bomberry tallied four assists. Mike Accursi and Kevin Dostie each had three points (1+2) in the game. Ian Llord put one in the net and finished the night with two points (1+1). Delby Powless and Kyle Laverty also put one past the Portland net minder. Pat McCready posted two assists. Goaltender Mike Thompson tallied his second assist of the season.

Chris White led Buffalo with 15 penalty minutes in the game.

Mike Thompson made 46 saves on the night. The net minder allowed 10 goals off 56 shots on goal.

Buffalo's next home game will be Friday, May 2 in their first game of the playoffs. Their opponent has yet to be determined. Game time is 7:30 p.m. Ticket prices range from $19 to $29.

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Monday, April 21, 2008

Wilsonville enters West Side Lax Top 10

and Lincoln settles in at #1. To view the whole Top 10 click here.

Friday, April 18, 2008

MLL PDX PRESS RELEASE

PORTLAND, April 17, 2008 - Professional indoor lacrosse has stunned Portland fans since the Portland LumberJax arrived in 2005. Now, the City of Roses will get a taste of the outdoor game as it hosts a week long lacrosse extravaganza that will culminate with the two-time defending Major League Lacrosse (MLL) Champion Philadelphia Barrage and New Jersey Pride playing on Saturday, August 9th at 7:30 p.m. at Hillsboro Stadium.

MLL PDX will be more than just a showcase. A week of lacrosse clinics and tournaments will be the pre cursor to the final regular season game between the Barrage and Pride. Playoff positioning will most certainly be on the line.

"We're delighted to be bringing Major League Lacrosse back to the Pacific Northwest as part of MLL PDX," said David Gross, Commissioner of Major League Lacrosse. "Back in 2004 when the MLL Wild West Tour stopped in Seattle, I remember that there was quite a contingent from the Portland area that traveled up for the game."

The clinics kick the week off on Tuesday, August 5 and go through Thursday, August 7 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Players and coaches from both MLL clubs will conduct these full day clinics. The cost is $60 per day or $150 for all three days. Visit www.mllpdx.com for registration information and details on ticket discounts for participants.

Friday, August 8th is when the best of the youth and high school ranks engage. From 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at both Hillsboro Stadium and the new 53rd St. Complex, the top players in the Pacific Northwest will play for state supremacy.

"For me this is coming full circle," added Portland LumberJax Executive Vice President Brian Silcott. "I played in the MLL for the first five years it existed before coaching the San Francisco Dragons when they moved westward. Now, I get to bring the game to my new home in Portland as the director of the biggest lacrosse event in Oregon history. This is important to me and I am committed to making MLL PDX a success."

Gates open at 12:30 p.m. on Championship Saturday, August 9, leaving ample time to get situated before the youth championships start at 1:30 p.m. Upon conclusion of the youth championships, the high school finals will begin at 3:30 p.m.

Barrage attackman Ryan Boyle, third in the MLL with 58 points in 2007 and Pride defenseman Ryan McClay, who finished sixth in the league with 70 ground balls collected, will be two of the many players from the Barrage and Pride who will hold an on field youth clinic at 5:30 p.m.

The Barrage and Pride begin formal warm-ups at 6:30 p.m. before their 7:30 p.m. face-off. Philadelphia won both meetings last season by three goals in each game, so revenge will be on New Jersey's minds.

Tickets start as low as $15 and go on sale Monday, April 28. Visit mllpdx.com or call Portland Lacrosse LLC at (503)797-9739 for more details.

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

West Side Lax Ranks Lincoln as new #1

Lincoln takes the top spot in the rankings for this week. We can't remember the last time that Lakeridge wasn't in that spot. Sunset climbs to #3 looking poised to keep climbing and Lakeridge falls to #5 in the rankings after losing to Lake Oswego.

View the rankings here.

MAJOR LEAGUE LACROSSE is coming to Portland

at least for a day. Word is the no longer Philadelphia Barrage will play a game here this summer against the New Jersey Pride. More on this to follow...

Thursday, April 10, 2008

The Battle for Portland - well sort of...

Event: Men's Lacrosse: PSU Vs. University of Portland "PDX Pride "
When: Saturday, April 12 at 4:00pm
Where: Stott Field

Rhino Lacrosse and Oregon Starz Join Forces

Portland, Oregon—April 10, 2008- Rhino Lacrosse and Oregon Starz have formed a partnership that will result in Select Teams comprised of the best lacrosse talent in the state of Oregon. Oregon Starz Select Teams will become part of Rhino Lacrosse, a company that has been providing lacrosse clinics, leagues, select teams and events in the greater Portland area for the last two and a half years. Coaches from both programs will join together, creating an elite level coaching staff to train youth and high school players.

Starz Lacrosse was founded in 2004 and currently runs clubs in Seattle, Tacoma, Northern and Southern California, Las Vegas, Arizona and Austin. Starz President Scott Hochstadt explains the Oregon Starz partnership with Rhino, "The ability to keep the best players training and competing together is the goal of Starz Lacrosse teams. With everyone working together in Oregon, this could end up being one of the most talented clubs in the West. Having coaches like Ryan Powell and Brian Silcott on the field and implementing their lacrosse systems with these kids is something that no other program in the country can match."

"There is no question that the goals of Starz and Rhino are one in the same: to grow the sport of lacrosse in Oregon, and to make sure that all of our players have the opportunity to play at the next level, whether that is a freshman making their varsity high school team, or a graduated senior earning a spot on a top college team," says Rick Sheinin, former director of Oregon Starz, who will continue to be involved in the program. His feelings are echoed by Rhino President Brian Silcott, “The quality of the teams we will be able to field is only half of the story here. By combining our strengths on and off the field, we are now able to offer everyone’s expertise to all of the athletes in this program, and the big winner will be the kids playing lacrosse.”

Rhino Lacrosse is ready to start preparing for Summer Select Tournaments and looks forward to displaying Oregon’s best lacrosse players in both in-state and out-of-state events. The unification of the programs has the future looking good for Oregon lacrosse. Rhino CEO Ryan Powell can’t help but agree, “This summer is going to ROCK at Rhino Lacrosse!”

Sunday, March 30, 2008

MARCH 2008 Links to News Stories

CURRENT BOYS STX-WSL TOP 10
WEST SIDE LAX: Lincoln Edges Bellarmine Prep in Shootout, 17-16
St. Ignatius better than Oregon's best San Francisco Chronicle - CA, USA
Linfield Women: 'Cats can't dig out of early deficit
Oregon Women: Bonnies fall in overtime-thriller to No. 14 Oregon, 11-10
No. 12 Oregon Drops 10-9 Heartbreaker to Hopkins
Montana Defeats USC
Colorado State defeats Oregon Men
New coaches lead Pacer girls
LO girls looking to regain their championship form
Georgetown Lacrosse Upsets No. 1 Duke
No. 11 Simon Fraser edges No. 9 Sonoma State 10-9
Inside Lacrosse announces insidelacrosse.com/mobile
Coleman Leads Lacrosse To Third Win In A Row Pacific University Athletics
Lakeridge boys look to keep up win streak
Laker boys ready for title run
Western Oregon U Open Letter
No. 12 Oregon Travels To SoCal For Game With Johns Hopkins
Lacrosse Continues its own Version of March Madness
West Linn Boys lacrosse splits first two games
Columbia Women's Lacrosse Cannot Duck Offensive Oregon Onslaught in 17-10 Loss
This Week in the Jax Community
3/14 - Ducks Host Boise State Saturday, Prepare for trip to Colorado
Under The Lights: No. 18 Oregon and No. 7 North Carolina
Willamette U edges Lewis and Clark
Cal Competes in East West Challenge
Women's Lacrosse Weekly Release
Ducks take control early to win fourth straight game
LE MOYNE FALLS TO #19 OREGON 15-7
No. 19 Ducks Keep Winning Streak Alive With Win Over LeMoyne
Women's Lacrosse: Oregon dominates Richmond, 17-5

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

2008 SF DRAGONS SCHEDULE

DATE GAME
May 18 @Chicago Machine
May 31 LA Riptide
Jun 7 Chicago Machine
Jun 14 @Denver Outlaws
Jun 21 @New Jersey Pride
Jun 28 Boston Cannon
Jul 4 @Denver Outlaws
Jul 12 Chicago Machine
Jul 19 Denver Outlaws
Jul 26 @Long Island Lizards
Aug 2 LA Riptide
Aug 9 @LA Riptide
Face Off: 7PM Spartan Stadium

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

March 1 - Jax Fall to Rush 9-7

PORTLAND, March 1, 2008 - All-Star forward Ryan Powell scored five points (1 goal, 4 assists) and fellow All-Star forward Dan Dawson scored four points (1 goal, 3 assists), but it was to no avail as the Portland LumberJax fell to the Edmonton Rush 9-7 Saturday night in front of 7,744 at the Rose Garden Arena. Despite the loss, the Jax (3-6) still remain tied for third place as the Calgary Roughnecks (3-6) fell to the Toronto Rock, 9-7.

The game began with two quick Edmonton scores. Portland got on the board when Powell scored on a fast break off a pass from All-Star defenseman Brodie Merrill (2 goals, 1 assist) with 8:51 left in the first quarter.

After another Edmonton score, forward Peter Morgan scored with 7:45 to play to cut the Edmonton lead to one. Powell and forward Dawson worked the ball deep in Rush territory before setting P. Morgan up for the goal.

Merrill scored ten-seconds into the second quarter tie the game at three. However, the tie was short lived as Edmonton countered with 13:07 left in the half to earn a 4-3 lead.

The defense for both teams settled in, trading possessions for nearly six minutes until forward Matt Holman (2 goals) scored with 7:22 left in the second quarter to tie the game at four. Derek Malawsky and Powell were credited with assists on Holman's third goal of the season.

Tempers flared with 4:47 to play in the half as former Arizona Sting teammates Dawson and Edmonton defenseman Mike Grimes mixed it up, resulting in five penalty minutes for both players.

The Rush closed out the half with an AJ Shannon goal with 1:35 left to take a one goal lead into the break.

Edmonton continued its scoring streak, netting the first two goals of the quarter until Merrill took a pass from forward Spencer Martin (2 assists) and slipped one past Rush goalie Curtis Palidwor with 5:30 left in the third to make it 7-5 in favor of the visiting team. Transition player Tyler Codron was also credited with an assist on the goal.

Portland continues its resurgence as Dawson scored with 4:22 left in the third to trim the Edmonton lead to one.

The Rush came back with a goal with 1:12 left in the third to take an 8-6 lead into the fourth quarter.

Edmonton scored first in the fourth quarter, as Shannon tallied the hat trick to extend the lead to 9-6. Holman would add a late goal to make it 9-7, but the Rush came out victorious for their first win of the season.

Notes: Powell has scored in all 36 career regular season games he's appeared in...Powell has also tallied an assist in 35 straight games...P. Morgan has scored in all 39 career regular season games he's appeared in.

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

MLL and ESPN2 announce full schedule

Boston, MA (February 26, 2008) - Major League Lacrosse (MLL), the premier professional outdoor lacrosse league, today announced the ESPN2 television schedule for the upcoming 2008 season, according to MLL Commissioner David Gross. The network will air eleven games this season, all of which will be broadcast in high-definition.

"I think that fans will be very excited when they see the schedule that ESPN has put together for us this season," said Gross. "Not only does this schedule feature some great match-ups, but amongst the live broadcasts you're also getting the All-Star Game, the first Semi-Final Game, and the NB ZIP Championship Game. This is our sixth season with ESPN and they have proven to be a most valued partner in helping grow the MLL and the entire sport of lacrosse."

ESPN2 has been the national television home of Major League Lacrosse since 2003, when the two parties agreed on a two-year commitment. In 2004, ESPN aired the New Balance Championship Game, making it the first live national telecast of a Major League Lacrosse competition. In November of that same year, ESPN and MLL agreed on another two-year contract. In 2007, Major League Lacrosse and ESPN signed a multi-year agreement which extends their relationship through the 2016 season.

Last season, ESPN introduced goalie cams, telestrators, and player microphones to the MLL broadcasts in an effort to give fans a better feeling for the intense action that takes place on the field. Also, all of last season's games were broadcast in high-definition for the first time. Prior to the start of the 2007 season, ESPN sold presenting sponsorship of their MLL telecasts to the U.S. Marine Corps. And earlier this month, the league announced that DICK'S Sporting Goods would become the presenting sponsor of the helmet cam.

The 2008 national broadcast schedule kicks off live from Harvard Stadium on Friday, May 23rd when the Boston Cannons host the Rochester Rattlers.

2008 Major League Lacrosse Television Schedule on ESPN2

Game Date Teams Game Time Air Date Air Time (ET) (ET)
Friday, May 23 Rochester @ Boston 7:00 PM Friday, May 23 7:00 PM
Thursday, June 5+ Philadelphia @ Long Island 7:00 PM Thursday, June 5 9:00 PM
Thursday, June 19 Washington @ Boston 7:30 PM Thursday, June 19 7:30 PM
Friday, July 4 San Francisco @ Denver 9:00 PM Tuesday, July 8 3:30 PM
Saturday, July 12 Denver @ Los Angeles 10:00 PM Tuesday, July 15 3:30 PM
Thursday, July 17 MLL All-Star Game 10:00 PM Thursday, July 17 10:00 PM
Saturday, July 26 Chicago @ Denver 9:00 PM Tuesday, July 29 3:30 PM
Saturday, August 2 Philadelphia @ Boston 7:00 PM Tuesday, August 5 3:30 PM
Saturday, August 9 San Francisco @ Los Angeles 10:00 PM Tuesday, August 12 3:30 PM
Saturday, August 23 NB ZIP Semi-Final Game 12:00 PM Saturday, August 23 12:00 PM
Sunday, August 24 NB ZIP Championship Game 1:00 PM Sunday, August 24 1:00 PM

Portland Lumberjax now 3-3 with 2 straight wins

Fri., February 22	W	Calgary Roughnecks 9 at Portland Lumberjax 13	Final
Sun., February 17	W	Edmonton Rush 8 at Portland Lumberjax 14	Final
Sun., February 10	L	Portland Lumberjax 13 at Minnesota Swarm 14 (OT)	Final
Thu., February 7	L	Portland Lumberjax 12 at Colorado Mammoth 15	Final
Sat., February 2	W	Portland Lumberjax 11 at Edmonton Rush 10	Final
Sat., January 26	L	Portland Lumberjax 6 at Calgary Roughnecks 13	Final
Full Team Schedule and Results

2/25/2008 - Brodie Merrill Named All-Star Starter

PORTLAND - Portland LumberJax defenseman Brodie Merrill has been named a starter in the 2008 National Lacrosse League All-Star Team, as announced by the league today. Merrill will be joined by forward Jeff Zywicki of the San Jose Stealth, forwards Dan Carey and Gavin Prout of the Colorado Mammoth, defenseman Eric Martin of San Jose and goalie Gee Nash of Colorado as starters for the West Division. The NLL's eighth All-Star Game will be held at Rexall Place in Edmonton on Sunday, March 16 at 1 p.m.

Now a three-time All-Star, Merrill was selected to last year's All-Star team, but was unable to play due to injury. In 2006, Merrill added an assist and collected 13 loose balls as the West edged the East, 14-13.

"I believe Brodie is the most complete lacrosse player in the NLL," said Head Coach/General Manager Derek Keenan. "Every game we assign him to check our opponent's top offensive players and he responds by completely disrupting their offense."

Arguably the league's top defenseman, Merrill leads the league with 97 loose balls collected. He's also amassed 18 points on nine goals and nine assists through the first eight games for the Jax (3-5). Last weekend, Merrill collected his 500th career loose ball and scored five points (two goals, three assists) as Portland rolled to its second straight win, defeating the Calgary Roughnecks 13-9.

"Fans across the league - and in particular here in Portland - understand that he's not only an All-Star, but a Most Valuable Player candidate," added Keenan.

Voting was determined by a combination of fan, league media, and GM/Head Coaches. Reserves will be selected by each All-Star coach and will be announced later this week. Each All-Star team will have 18 players, which includes 16 runners and two goalies. All of the league's 12 member clubs will be represented by at least one of their players in the All-Star Game.

2/22/2008 - Holman sparks rally as Jax win 13-9

PORTLAND, February 22, 2008 - Trailing 8-7 early in the fourth quarter, the Portland LumberJax needed a jolt to rally the team from a one goal deficit to the Calgary Roughnecks. The Jax found their surge in forward Matt Holman, who scored with 11:54 to play to ignite a 5-0 run that led to a 13-9 Portland victory in front of 7,349 wild fans at the Rose Garden Arena on Saturday evening. The win was the second in a row for the Jax (3-5), who moved a half game in front of the Roughnecks (2-5) for third place in the wild, West Division. Forwards Dan Dawson (2 goals, 3 assists) and Derek Malawsky (1 goal, 4 assists) and defenseman Brodie Merrill (2 goals, 3 assists) all had five points apiece in the winning effort.

"This was possibly the most complete game as a franchise we've ever played," said Head Coach/General Manager Derek Keenan. "It was a complete effort as we put together all facets of the game."

Malawsky found the back of the net first for Portland, cutting through and taking a pass from forward Ryan Powell (2 assists) who was fed by transition player Scott Stapleford to give Portland a 1-0 lead with 12:20 left in the first quarter. Calgary evened the game with 7:55 left on a goal from Kaleb Toth.

The Jax took their second lead of the game at 2-1 when forward Peter Morgan (3 goals) scored on the power play with 3:25 left. Dawson and Martin were credited with assists on the goal.

To open the second, the Roughnecks evened the game once again with 11:14 left in the second quarter on a transition goal from Nolan Heavenor. Once again, Heavenor struck with 9:54 left until the break to give Calgary its first lead.

Calgary continued to fire away, extending the lead to two as Jeff Shattler scored with 4:58 left. Portland answered back as defenseman Richard Morgan (2 goals) beat Calgary goalie Pat Campbell with 3:28 remaining in the half to cut the Roughneck lead to 4-3. Merrill assisted on R. Morgan's third goal of the season.

After reloading their arsenal at the half, the Roughnecks came out blazing, scoring the first two goals to extend their lead to three. Portland, however, had an ace up their sleeve. Gunslinger Dawson came back with 12:12 left in the third, shooting past Calgary goalie Ryan Avery to make it 6-4 in favor of the Roughnecks.

The 2-0 run ended as Calgary struck back with 10:52 in the quarter, extending the lead to 7-5 in favor of the road team.

Portland once again cut the lead to one as it scored off a fast break. Merrill and R. Morgan worked a series of exchanges before R. Morgan scored with 9:06 to play in the third.

Calgary came back, putting one past Jax goalie Matt King with 4:18 left in the third to extend the lead to two. However, Portland had the least laugh of the quarter. Off a rebound, P. Morgan scored his second goal of the game with 1:32 left in the third to make it 8-7 in favor of Calgary heading into the final quarter of regulation.

Playing in his first game since Feb. 2, Holman tied the game at eight with 11:54 left off a pass from Martin on the power play. The goal was Holman's second of the season, and could not have come at a better time.

Holman's goal began a scoring streak, as Martin scored with 9:35 to play in regulation to give Portland its first lead since the first quarter. Malawsky and defenseman Ian Crashley assisted on Martin's fourth goal of the season.

Dawson kept the run going, draining a deep perimeter shot to make it 10-8 in favor of the home team with 7:33 to play. Merrill and Malawsky tossed the ball around the perimeter, until Mr. Dangerous scored.

The lead continued to grow as P. Morgan notched the hat trick on a breakaway goal with 7:08 left. The 6'6" brute force could not be stopped as he took the ball the length of the floor and bested Campbell to make it 11-8.

The outpour continued as rookie forward Cory Conway scored with 2:43 left and then Merrill scored his second goal of the game with 2:01 to play to put the exclamation mark on the victory. Calgary would add a late goal, but it didn't matter as the Jax won 13-9.

King stopped 24 of the 33 shots he faced and P. Morgan collected 11 loose balls, a Portland career-high.

Notes: Powell has scored at least one point in all 35 career regular season games he's appeared in with Portland...Powell has tallied an assist in 34 straight regular season games...P. Morgan has scored at least one point in all 38 career regular season games he's appeared in with Portland...Merrill collected his 500th career loose ball in the first quarter...With the hat trick, P. Morgan is back in the franchise lead with 50 goals.

2/20/2008 - Merrill earns player of the week honors

PORTLAND, February 20, 2007 - Portland LumberJax defenseman Brodie Merrill has been named the National Lacrosse League's Transition Player of the Week for week eight, the league announced today. Merrill, the NLL's loose ball leader with 89, scored three goals, added one assist and collected 10 loose balls in a 14-8 obliteration of the Edmonton Rush on Sunday.

The two-time All-Star tied a career-high with the three goals he sent past Edmonton in the team's first home win of the season. This year, Merrill has scored 13 points (7 goals, 6 assists).

"Brodie played last week like he plays every game," said Head Coach/General Manager Derek Keenan. "He's consistently the best defensive player on the floor, an absolute beast when the ball hits the carpet and the most dangerous transition player in the game today."

Overall, Merrill is Portland's all-time loose balls leader (499). He's also fourth all-time in goals scored (28), third in assists (57) and third in points scored (85).

In 2007, Merrill led the Jax and the NLL in loose balls collected with 196. Merrill is one of only three players to lead the NLL in loose balls collected (Jim Veltman and John Tavares) since the statistic became official in 1992.

This is the first player of the week award for Portland since last season, when Merrill was named Transition Player of the Week for week three.

The weekly player awards are determined by a vote of the General Managers and Head Coaches of the league's 12 member clubs.

Friday, February 22, 2008

DUCKS READY TO FIGHT OFF VANDALS AND COUGARS

Written by Ryan Craven (UO Alum '07)

After starting their season off with a 12-4 win over Oregon State on February 9th, the Oregon Ducks are preparing for a 7 game homestretch. First up for the Ducks are the Idaho Vandals and Washington State Cougars this weekend.

"Blackmore definitely came up huge against the Beavs. We've hit it hard the past two weeks and our offense is beginning to really flow. The intensity has picked up, and the team continues to progress and come together more and more each week," Tiller said.

DUCKS vs. VANDALS
Saturday marks the first game of the season for the Vandals, who continue to establish a first-class program under the leadership of 2nd year Head Coach Ryan Hanavan. With no games to look at, not much is known about Idaho's new talent. However, a handful of new freshmen and transfers highlight this year's roster including Kreig Shaw. A standout midfielder at Boise State last season, Shaw transferred to Idaho in December.

Compared to previous years, the Vandals are also sure to have a more solid defensive unit on the field. Senior defender Rob McQuade (#4) makes his debut in black and gold after suffering a severe knee injury following his freshman season at University of Utah in 2005. Prior to the injury, McQuade had intended to continue his lacrosse-playing career at NCAA Division 1 Mount St. Mary's. After a year of rehabbing, he opted to transfer back west to University of Idaho. McQuade assisted under Coach Hanavan last year.

Oregon defender Jeff Brunelle (Senior, #12) and McQuade enter Saturday's game with unfamiliar hostility brewing. The two best friends grew up together in Boise, Idaho. While attending Bishop Kelly High School, the duo played side-by-side for 3 years and founded the annual Idaho High School All-Star Games. After graduating, they continued to team up, taking on coaching roles in Idaho and winning 4 straight Brawl In McCall Championships as starters for the Woozles, a club team made up of college players from Idaho, Utah, and Oregon.

On going head-to-head with McQuade, Brunelle, a fourth year veteran at Oregon, said "It's rare that I ever get to play against someone from my high school, and it's great to see Rob make a return. We've been talking all week, but I think that will end on Friday. It's going to get heated." McQuade declined to comment.

DUCKS vs. COUGARS
Following the Idaho game, Oregon faces another unknown on Sunday when they go up against the Washington State Cougars. After disbanding two years ago, the Cougars have re-established themselves in Pullman and begin their season against the Ducks this weekend as well. With a 20-man roster and strong leadership, this Cougars squad is sure to make a run at competing in the PNCLL this season.

Oregon vs. Idaho
Saturday, February 23, 2008
1:00 PM
Eugene, OR

Oregon vs. Washington State
Sunday, February 24, 2008
12:00 PM
Eugene, OR

All Ducks home games are played on the University of Oregon Men's Lacrosse Field located on the Oregon campus between historic Hayward Field and the University's Tennis Center. Directions to the field can be found at the team's website, www.oregonlacrosse.org.

DUCKS TEACH FUTURE DUCKS HOW TO FLY
Left to right: Austin Loranger, Eric Hjelm, Josh Schane, Will DeSiervo, Brook Pittenger

With no games last weekend, the Ducks took action in the community, hosting a clinic that brought 35 local high school players out to prepare for their upcoming season. The clinic included instruction from the entire Oregon squad.

COMING UP NEXT:

The Oregon Ducks play 7 home games in the next 4 weeks. After Idaho and Washington State, the Ducks host 2 out-of-conference teams from the WCLL next weekend.

The Ducks take on Chico State under the lights at 6pm on Friday, February 29th, and then face University of San Diego the next day, March 1st, at 1pm.

Following Chico and San Diego are 3 more home games:
Saturday, March 8, 1pm - Oregon vs. Montana
Sunday, March 9, 12pm - Oregon vs. Gonzaga
Saturday, March 15, 1pm - Oregon vs. Boise State

For more MCLA news, and live game reports, photos, and commentary of all the Oregon
Ducks action, be sure to check out www.COLLEGELAX.us.

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

LACROSSE SEASON PREVIEW ON TV 2/21

ESPN2 will preview the 2008 college lacrosse season with a one-hour special
with Inside Lacrosse TV on Thursday, February 21 at 4:00 pm EST

Click here for more info

Sunday, February 17, 2008

West Side Lax Boys HS Preview Links + 2008 Schedule

Click Here to see the schedules for Boys 08 HS Lax...

Boys: Oregon High School Lacrosse Association {Click the link to select a conference}
• Columbia Conference (Preseason #1: Oregon Episcopal School)
• High Desert Conference (Preseason #1: Sisters)
• Metro Conference (Preseason #1: Southridge)
• North Valley Conference (Preseason #1: Tigard)
• Northwest Oregon Conference (Preseason #1: Wilsonville)
• Three Rivers Conference (Preseason #1: Lakeridge)
• Willamette Conference (Preseason #1: Sheldon)

Saturday, February 16, 2008

FEBRUARY 2008 - LINKS TO NEWS STORIES

Lacrosse close to forming Big East
No. 18 Richmond Women Outscored By Oregon
Men's Lacrosse: No. 9 North Carolina edges No. 16 Denver, 6-5
Women's Lacrosse: Oregon edges Virginia Tech, 14-13
Jeff Zwywicki named NLL player of the week
PNCLL Week 2 Preview
February 5, 2008 - Stocked with 8 seniors, Oregon Womens lax plans to make its mark
8 UMASS Players Suspended
February 17,2008 - Portland defeats Edmonton 14-8
Stanford Defeats Oregon in 8-7 Thriller
Oregon Women Pull Away From Aggies In Lacrosse Opener
NEW U of Oregon Coach hopes to continue winning ways
Oregon Women's Lacrosse To Host 7 v 7 Clinic GoDucks.com
January 26, 2008 - Goal runs send Jax to defeat
January 25, 2008 - Portland State's Lacrosse Club loses to Western Oregon at the Rose Garden Thursday
January 24, 2008 - Disappointment for Jax in overtime
January 19, 2008 - Boston picked to host 2009 championships
January 13, 2008 - NEW YORK POWERS PAST PORTLAND 14-11
LUMBERJAX: DAWSON SELECTED FIRST OVERALL BY PORTLAND
Oregon Lacrosse Signs 16 Recruits for 2008-2009
November 7. 2007 - JHU, fellow lacrosse 'giants' to face off in '08
Major League Lacrosse: Dragons head coach Brian Silcott will not return

2008 Lax World MCLA Division 1 Preseason Top 25 Poll

Rank - School (2007 Record) 1. Brigham Young University (16-2) 2. Colorado State University (13-3) 3. University of California Santa Barbara (14-4) 4. University of Minnesota-Duluth (11-3) 5. University of Oregon (17-2) 6. Arizona State University (10-4) 7. Boston College (15-1) 8. University of Michigan (10-3) 9. University of Arizona (14-5) 10. Northeastern University (16-2) 11. Lindenwood University (9-5) 12. University of Colorado (13-5) 13. University of Georgia (10-2) 14. Sonoma State University (10-4) 15. Chapman University (8-7) 16. Florida State University (14-3) 17. Texas A&M (13-2) 18. University of Illinois (10-7) 19. University of Florida (12-3) 20. Virginia Tech University (10-4) 21. University of Utah (7-9) 22. Cal Poly SLO (10-6) 23. Michigan State University (9-3) 24. SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY (9-2) 25. University of Texas (12-6)